Devils’ offense continues to roll in victory over Phantoms

GLENS FALLS — A night after tying a franchise record for goals, the Albany Devils continued their offensive surge tonight, scoring four times in the first two periods and coasting to a 4-1 victory over the Adirondack Phantoms in front of 4,800 at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

The Devils, who beat Utica 8-3 Friday night, won for the fourth time in five games to remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms lost their second home game in as many nights and have fallen out of the top conference’s top eight, the cutoff for making the playoffs.

Kelly Zajac snapped a 1-1 tie with 3:08 to play in the first period, and the Devils never trailed thereafter. Goaltender Keith Kinkaid, playing back-to-back nights for the fourth time this season, made 21 saves. He is 3-1 in the second games of back-t0-backs.

Rod Pelley got Albany on the board first at 6:45. He was behind the net and tried to center to Tim Sestito, but the puck hit the skate of Phantoms goaltender Cal Heeter and deflected in.

Ben Holmstrom tied it for Adirondack, putting home Tye McGinn’s rebound on a power play, but Zajac answered 65 seconds later. He was alone in front and received Mattias Tedenby’s cross-ice pass to score his sixth of the season and third in four games.

Artem Demkov extended his points streak to five (3-2–5) with a goal at 9:32 of the second, his sixth. Sestito piled on 40 seconds later with his seventh, sending Heeter to the bench in favor of Yann Danis.

Defenseman Dan Kelly, playing his 200th AHL game, had two assists for the Devils, who held a 26-22 edge in shots on goal.